A fire float and tug were first introduced in 1877 and used until 1900 when they were replaced by shallow draft fireboats. Whilst the fire float was only a fire pump mounted in a barge which the tug transported to the scene of the fire, the Brigade introduced self-propelled steam fireboats and soon acquired three of these: Alpha, Beta and Gamma. The fireboat pictured is Beta, moored by Charing Cross railway bridge on the River Thames.